My Enemy, My Friend
by MelodicMadness
Summary: Emil had a question about Aster, a question that would make it even harder for him to face Richter.


_My Enemy, My Friend_

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. I wish I did, though.

Warnings: Spoilers about Aster. (But isn't every ToS2 fanfic?) Also, there's no actual Richter/Emil, but there is if you want it that way. I can see it either way.

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This was Emil's last chance. As he followed in tiny steps behind the tall half-Elf, he had the inevitable feeling buried deep down in his stomach that this was the last chance to ask his question. But being the spineless person he naturally was, he remained quiet as he walked with Richter in the underground ruins.

Two times before, he received an extra quest from the Katz guild to assist Richter in locating a few ancient artifacts. Of course, he had to create an elaborate lie to tell Marta and the rest of the party each time he ran off to assist their enemy, but he managed each time.

He couldn't explain why, but Emil always felt a sense of familiarity around Richter. Aster's past emotions, maybe? It was that familiarity, that fondness that Emil always seemed to be drenched in when he was around Richter, that made him start thinking about the friendship Aster and Richter shared two years ago.

The silence of the ruins began to sink in on the young warrior. His little steps somehow rang louder than Richter's steps, and he was beginning to become uneasy with the minimal sounds. He hated how he was always so timid around Richter—he could never just speak up and say what he was thinking. He felt that the red-headed man would become angry with any words he uttered, even just that tiny little question he wanted to ask. Despite that, he found himself pulled to Richter—his enemy—more than he was ever pulled to anyone before. Was this really because of Aster's lingering feelings, or…?

And that's where his thoughts always stopped. That's where he decided, 'Okay, I'm going to ask!' But that's also where he always held his tongue in anxiety. However, he knew this escapade into the ruins would be his final and only chance. After this, the words he exchanged with Richter would be far from friendly, if he could consider their previous interactions that of friends.

Emil stopped, the sound of his last foot falls still echoing through the darkness of the hallways. Hearing the abrupt stop, Richter turned around. His face wore a confused and worried expression. "Are you okay?" He asked, the first words uttered since they entered the ruins. "Did the last pack of monsters injure you?"

Shaking his head slowly, and nervously, he bit his lower lip. "No, it's not that," his feeble voice trailed off, causing Richter to conjure up some more speculations. After denying a few more questions, the red-head was becoming impatient and finally demanded that Emil tell him the problem. Gulping, still too nervous to meet his eyes with Richter's, the blond released his lower lip from the tight grip and began. "I-I've been wondering—when I'm around you--," he paused. Did he really want to say it? Perhaps he would just skip to the point. "Actually, um, Richter… About Aster…" After that last word, Richter's expressions froze. Emil had never _ever_ brought up that subject with him before, though he knew it was probably plaguing his thoughts. Trying to cover up his shock with an inaudible cough, Richter nodded.

"Continue."

Emil thought for a few seconds before opening his mouth again, trying to plot out the best away to cautiously tiptoe around all of the land mines. He wanted an answer, but he didn't want a pissed off half-Elf with a deadly weapon. "What did he—what did Aster mean to you?" Emil couldn't quite read the expression on his companion's face after that question. Sadness, surprise, worry, irritation. It could have been any of these, all of these, more or less.

For once, Richter found difficulties in speaking. His mouth hung slightly open, his tongue frivolously trying to connect with his brain, but that wasn't exactly working. After a sigh, he crossed his arms and attempted to ask, without sounding angry like he usually did, "Why do you ask that?"

Relieved that Richter didn't explode but now extremely nervous because he had finally posed the question, Emil clenched his slightly trembling fists and tried to turn his thoughts into somewhat logical words. His gaze continuing to avoid that of the man's before him, he slowly began, "When I'm around you, I feel… that I'm not just Emil the gutless, worthless wimp who knows nothing about the world. I-I've felt out of place everywhere I've been, everywhere I've gone, and," he paused once more, trying his hardest now to form the words he wanted without sounding like he's confessing a deeply hidden love. His eyes finally turned up to look at Richter whose expression seemed sincere… understanding?

Gathering up the breath to speak again, Emil continued, "When I'm around you, you fill that empty space inside me--" the space that belonged to Aster, he thought, "and this… this warmth, is it… did Aster feel this with you too?" Again, he was presented with an expression on Richter's face that proved difficult to read, but then he finally spotted it—sadness.

The red-head sighed again, realizations dawning on him. "If I tell you, you _do_ realize it will be harder to accept that this is our last meeting where we won't be clashing swords, right?" It was less of a question and more of a grim statement of facts. He silently watched as Emil nodded his head, managing a weak "yes." Looking around for a moment, Richter motioned for Emil to follow him. "We'll sit down—a rest would be wise, anyway."

Doing as he was told, the boy sat down next to Richter on some nearby 'benches' carved into the wall. His gaze concentrating on a single spot on the wall across from them, the half-Elf began. "Aster was a child-prodigy, the only true genius at the academy. He saw how the world really worked, but he always tried to find his own way to make it spin for the better of everyone. He saw everyone as equal. He helped me to see my own worth. He was--," he halted. Emil looked up at him, carefully analyzing his movements. The red-head's eyes followed the wall down to the floor. His eyebrows furrowed together as his frown grew. A tiny gulp travelled down his throat.

Was Richter… choked up?

"He was my only friend in a town full of enemies. He was closer than any friend, than any lover could be. He should still be here, living, breathing." He turned his head and gazed down through his triangle-spectacles into Emil's face. "But Ratatosk murdered him."

Those four words pinned Emil's heart down, an incredible feeling of guilt pouring over his soul. Some of the guilt seemed to radiate from Ratatosk, for he too was sitting within Emil, listening to the man's words of pain. His body became heavy as he remembered—he was Emil. He was Ratatosk. But he was also _Aster_.

Feeling hot tears gather in his eyes, Emil hung his head low. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Appearing as though he never heard the boy's words, Richter said, "And that's why I'm doing all of this. And that's why we'll be nothing but enemies after this."

He didn't want to accept it. In fact, he denied it for as long as possible. Both of them did.

Emil shook his head, his tears becoming more pronounced. "I'm so sorry—it shouldn't have to be like this. It's my—his—our fault!" His voice jumped at the end of his exclamation. His eyes angrily regarded his own two hands before him. It was as though he could see Aster's blood on them, sticking to his skin forever.

"Emil…" Richter's voice called out softly. He didn't want to make things more complicated between them, but he didn't want to leave Emil with a sense of self-loathing. After all, it was Ratatosk's doing, not his. He reached his hand out and placed it on the bare shoulder of Emil.

As Richter's hand landed on his shoulder, a familiar tingling sensation formed under the slender fingers and lingered there. It wasn't until later that Emil would understand the meaning of that touch, and why it felt the way it did.

The touch managed to calm him down as he could think straight again, though the guilt still held on tenaciously. He knew that Richter had a duty to his late friend. However, Emil had a duty to protect the world and all of his friends living in it. Wiping away the still stinging tears, the blond shakily stood up, Richter's hand regrettably sliding off of his shoulder. "I-I should probably go back now."

Richter wasn't surprised. His presence probably didn't help Emil much, but he saddened a little at the thought of Emil leaving so soon before they become each other's worst enemies.

"But, from what you said, I think that Aster would have left you with this good-bye." Emil turned around, fear and grief both clouding his emotions, and probably his rational thinking, as he leaned in to hug Richter. A lingering tear broke away and slid down his cheek as he held onto the only person who had ever helped him to stand on his own two feet. Richter froze at the unpredictable embrace, his body running through all the choices of how to react.

Before Emil could pull away, he finally gave in to the nostalgia and returned the dismal hug. It was strange to be that close to someone after two years of loneliness, but his emotional side, as well-hidden as it was, could not be denied. For an instance, he made himself belief that the person in his arms was Aster.

Emil pulled away, his hands hovering a moment longer on Richter's shoulders before he completely broke the contact. "I know you hate when I say this, but I'm sorry." He turned around and began his gloomy walk back to the entrance of the ruins. He felt he had to do more than just apologize. Looking behind him, noticing that Richter was still sitting upon the stone with that expression of sadness which was unfortunately becoming fitting for him, he said the last words of his goodbye, as hesitant as usual, "I'm glad that I got to know you."

Richter watched him leave as Aster's—no, Emil's words repeated in his head. Sighing, he stood up and muttered under his breath, "Dammit… I tried not to make this difficult. But you went ahead and did it." Regarding the retreating figure, he decided to fight for all that Aster was worth. He refused to lose this battle. He refused to give up.

-

_A/N_: Wow, sorry that was so depressing, guys. I didn't expect it to be like that. But it's more believable than Richter pouncing Emil after two years of pent up sexual frustration… -cough- Okay, let's put that image away for another story.

Well, I really hope that neither of them were too OOC. I also hope that there weren't any mistakes with the plotline… I don't remember everything that happened or the order in which it happened. Yeah… I haven't written in this fandom in ages (in fact, it's been a year since I even last beat the game), but I remembered the fond memories that I had in this fandom and wanted to contribute something. I hope you like it and drop a little review! Even if you didn't like it, go ahead and give me an unsatisfied review.


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